The lawyer for former Rep. Eric Massa, New York Democrat, who resigned after a sexual harassment scandal, was himself arrested for solicitation of prostitution Monday in New York.
James D. Doyle, 54, was found with a 20-year-old alleged prostitute whose parents were featured in the television program Wife Swap. The 20-year-old, Alicia Guastaffero, later sued the ABC network for allegedly representing her poorly.
Police say they found Mr. Doyle passed out in his car at a rest stop with Ms. Guastaffero in the car. Mr. Doyle was charged with driving while intoxicated, patronizing a prostitute and unlawfully dealing with a child for giving alcohol to a minor, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.
He has two previous convictions for driving while impaired.
Ms. Guastaffero was charged with prostitution and possession of a controlled substance.
The alleged sexual offense and tabloid connections compound an already sordid tale surrounding Mr. Massa, who resigned in 2010 following allegations he’d sexually harassed male staffers. Though he denied the accusations, he famously acknowledged interactions with the men that he characterized as “tickle fights.” He resigned as the Justice Department and the House Ethics Committee looked into the matter, and Mr. Doyle also represented him in a case in which he claimed his chief of staff stole $40,000 in campaign funds as the accusations swirled.
Since resigning from Congress, Mr. Massa has kept open his donor-fueled campaign account and used it to make payments of approximately $1,500 per month to his wife for “payroll,” despite having no plans to campaign for office, a Washington Times review of federal records shows.
Though Ms. Guastaferro allegedly told police that Doyle pays her $500 to $700 for sex, Mr. Doyle denies the charges and says she is a family friend. He told the Democrat and Chronicle “I was tired and wanted to stop before I completed my journey.”
